Chefs at Home: Michael Mina's Wine Country Kitchens

The San Francisco chef and his wife open the doors to their 3,500-square-foot Northern California home

Jessica K. Chou

Michael Mina's home in Nicasio, Calif.

Let's just say the entire staff at The Daily Meal is a little envious of the Minas' family life; not only are pizza parties a commonplace occurance, but a water slide amps up summer pool parties, and a hillside treehouse serves as the perfect hide-and-seek base as it looks over wine country. The fact that Michael Mina is a Michelin-starred chef doesn't hurt either.

Mina and his family had The Daily Meal over for a crew party for his new Web cooking show "Cook Taste Eat", where they served up some braised short ribs and homemade pizza. Although the Minas only moved into the 3,500-square-foot house in 2010, the place already felt like a little slice of Mina home history, with antique bar carts, homemade art projects, and reminder notes for doctors' appointments.

"A home tells a story both inside and out, so why not make it part of who you are and don't worry about if your home is magazine-quality," Mina's wife, Diane, told us. "If it makes you feel good, and it’s fun, then go for it."

Outside, there's a lush garden, a swimming pool, and another outdoor kitchen, added on when the family moved in. So it makes sense that the Mina family (Michael and Diane, their two sons, and two dogs) spend half their life outside. "I want everyone that walks in our doors to feel relaxed and to feel they have escaped to a country getaway even if it’s just for a few hours," Diane said. "Even when we harvest the garden, we invite a crew of many. We pop some champagne, play Italian music, and each person is given a basket for their pickings." Click on through our slideshow to see both of Mina's kitchens, including Mina's cherished wood-fired pizza oven.